Senior Hardware Test Engineer - Components

JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking a Senior Hardware Test Engineer to own design validation, reliability, and production test for the electronic components behind Apptronik's robots: PCBAs, wiring harnesses, sensors, and compute modules. You will design and run test campaigns including HALT/HASS, define test methods and fixture requirements (ICT, flying probe, functional test) and work with fixture designers to get them built, and root-cause failures down to the board, connector, or component level. You will work closely with design, firmware, and manufacturing teams, and hand off validated test processes to the Manufacturing Test team as programs scale into production.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Component Validation Testing: Plan and execute test campaigns to validate PCBAs, wiring harnesses, sensors, and compute modules against specs across electrical, thermal, and environmental conditions.
• HALT/HASS & Harness Reliability: Design and run HALT to find design margins and failure modes, develop HASS screens for production, and define harness tests that capture field-failure drivers such as continuity, insulation and contact resistance, connector retention, and flex and strain relief.
• Sensor & Compute Characterization: Apply an understanding of each sensor modality's physics (e.g., IMU, encoder, force/torque, camera, thermal) to characterize accuracy, noise, drift, and environmental sensitivity, and stress key compute parameters (clocks, voltage rails, thermals, memory and I/O load) to find performance limits.
• Test Automation, Fixtures & Root-Cause Analysis: Build fixtures and test automation, and diagnose failures down to the board, connector, or component level with actionable feedback to design.
• Production Test Handoff: Develop test methods with defined pass/fail criteria and operator documentation, then transfer them to the Manufacturing Test team to support incoming inspection and production testing.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Hands-on experience validating electronic hardware (PCBAs, wiring harnesses, sensors, or compute modules) using bench equipment such as oscilloscopes, power supplies, and DAQ systems.
• Experience with production test methods such as in-circuit test (ICT), flying probe, and functional test, including designing fixtures (e.g., bed-of-nails) and defining pass/fail criteria and handoff documentation.
• Experience with HALT/HASS, including defining stress profiles and interpreting failure modes, plus knowledge of what drives harness field failures (contact resistance, connector retention, flex fatigue).
• Strong debugging skills to root-cause failures to the board, connector, or component level using schematics, harness drawings, and datasheets.
• Understanding of sensor physics (e.g., IMU, encoder, force/torque, camera, thermal) sufficient to characterize accuracy, noise, drift, and environmental sensitivity.
• Preferred: Experience stressing compute platforms (clocks, voltage rails, thermals, memory and I/O load) to find performance limits and failure modes.
• Preferred: Experience with robotics, humanoid, or other electromechanical systems, including actuator or motor-driven hardware.
• Preferred: Experience transitioning test methods from R&D into production or manufacturing environments, including NPI.
• Preferred: Test automation experience (e.g., Python, LabVIEW, or similar) for data acquisition, analysis, and automated test sequencing.
• Preferred: Familiarity with DFT (design for test) and DFM practices, including working with design engineers to add test points and improve testability.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field + 6 years of relevant experience, OR MS in a related field + 4 years, OR PhD in a related field + 2 years.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
• Hearing and speech to communicate